Author: Rebecca Hughes
Publish date: November 9, 2018
Liam Pitchford has beaten world number 3 Timo Boll in the Austrian Open.
Pitchford, world ranked 24, has avenged the defeat inflicted on him by Boll at the recent European Championships with an outstanding 4-2 win today.
The English No 1 took an early 2-0 lead after winning both games 11-6.
Pitchford vs Timo Boll in the quarter-finals of the Austrian Open
But Boll then turned up the pressure to take the third 11-5, shortly followed by an 11-8 win in the fourth.
Pitchford led most of the way in the fifth, but his illustrious opponent then turned the tables to take a 10-9 lead.
Pitchford managed to save a game point to even the score, before going 10-11 down again. He then battled to bring it back, taking the next three points to win 13-11.
In the fifth game, Boll once more had game point at 10-7 up, but Pitchford was not about to pass up this chance and re-asserted himself to take the next five points and turn it into a big win (12-10 ) in what is turing into a huge year in his career.
To watch the quarter-final match in full, click here.
Pitchford celebrating his 4-2 win over TImo Boll
Pitchford progressed to the quarter-finals after a 4-1 win over Japan’s Koyo Kanamitsu earlier today.
After losing the first game 6-11, Pitchford battled back to take the next 11-3.
In the third game, after the Englishman led all the way to 10-7, Kanamitsu saved three game points before taking the lead 11-10. But Pitchford then pulled through to take the third game 13-11 and take a 2-1 lead over Kanamitsu.
Pitchford then took the match after winning the fourth game 11-7 and the fifth 11-8.
To watch the Round of 16 match in full, click here.
The semi-final match will take place tomorrow at 7pm UK time. Pitchford will face either Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto or China’s Xu Xin. The pair have yet to play their quarter-final round. It is scheduled for 12.30pm UK time tomorrow.
Results
Men’s Singles
Round of 16
Liam Pitchford bt Koyo Kanamitsu (JPN) 4-1 (6-11, 11-3, 13-11, 11-7, 11-8)
Quarter-finals
Liam Pitchford bt TImo Boll 4-2 (11-6, 11-6, 5-11, 8-11, 13-11, 12-10)